Apparatus and method of providing a universal condiment rack for a cooking grill

ABSTRACT

A universal condiment rack having a mounting bracket for adjustably securing the rack to cooking grills of many configurations is provided. The mounting bracket pivots to accommodate grills of a variety of dimensional characteristics and has an adjustable protrusion for leveling the rack on grills having different vertical tapers.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to cooking grills and, moreparticularly, is related to an apparatus and method for providing auniversal condiment rack for a cooking grill.

BACKGROUND

Outdoor cooking is commonly performed on cooking grills, which usecharcoal briquets or propane or natural gas fueled burners forgenerating cooking heat. Cooking grills of these types commonly featurea lower housing, for containing the heat source and supporting a cookingrack or grill above the heat source. In general, the geometry of thelower housing tapers inwardly from top to bottom, such that the topopening has greater area than the cross-sectional area at the bottom ofthe lower housing. Although the geometries and dimensions of lowerhousings vary widely among different grill brands and models, theycommonly are configured in either generally rectangular or circularshapes with varying degrees of taper.

One prevalent aspect of all cooking is the use of condiments to enhanceand supplement the flavor of cooked foods. Unlike a kitchen, the outdoorcooking environment commonly lacks surrounding countertop space and thusdoes not typically provide sufficient space for storing condiments whilecooking. Although some grills are provided with racks, shelves or trays,these devices are usually produced to specifically complement particulargrill shapes and dimensions and thus are not compatible for many othergrills.

For example, a condiment rack specifically designed for a generallyrectangular grill with a generally linear grill housing top edge and avery slight taper will not be properly fitted to a circular grill havinga more pronounced taper. In addition to the angles at which the rackwould engage the circular grill being different from those for therectangular grill, the difference in taper would likely result innon-horizontal rack orientation.

Thus, a heretofore-unaddressed need exists in the industry to addressthe aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure includes embodiments of an apparatus forproviding a universal condiment rack on a cooking grill, comprising: aplurality of substantially parallel longitudinal members, configured todefine a rack for supporting condiments, for attaching to a grill; aplurality of supports attached to the plurality of longitudinal members;and a plurality of universal rack mounts, each pivotally attached to theplurality supports, for mounting the rack to a grill, wherein theuniversal rack mount pivots for attaching to arcuate or linear cookinggrill housings.

An embodiment of the present disclosure can also be viewed as providinga method of attaching a universal condiment rack to a grill, comprising:pivoting a condiment rack mount to correspond with an angle of a topedge of a grill housing;

-   -   engaging an opening in the condiment rack mount with the top        edge of the grill housing;    -   securing the condiment rack mount to the grill housing with a        fastener, wherein the fastener engages the condiment rack mount;        and adjusting the condiment rack mount with a leveling        protrusion, wherein the adjusting permits a substantially        horizontal rack position independent of the grill type.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure can be viewed as a systemfor providing a universal condiment rack for a grill, comprising: apivoting means for adjusting a mounting device; a supporting means forattaching a rack to the mounting device; and a fastening means forsecuring the mounting device to a grill.

Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure can be viewed as agrill, comprising: a cooking grill housing; a rack surface forsupporting condiments; a support, attached to the rack surface; and apivotally-adjustable mount, for attaching the support to the cookinggrill housing.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following drawings and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial perspective view of a grill with anembodiment of a universal condiment rack attached to a linear frontedge;

FIG. 2 illustrates a partial perspective view of a grill with anembodiment of a universal condiment rack attached to an arcuate frontedge;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational, cross-sectional view of theembodiment of FIG. 2, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective detail view of an embodiment of one endof a universal condiment rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments asillustrated in the drawings. While several embodiments are described inconnection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit theinvention to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. On thecontrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, andequivalents.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a partial perspectiveview of a generally rectangular grill 100 with an embodiment of auniversal condiment rack 110. The grill 100 comprises an upper housingmember 101 and a lower housing member 102, which also serves as a grillcover. The lower housing member 102 generally contains a heat source(not shown) disposed beneath a cooking grate or structure (not shown).The upper grill housing 101 may be pivotally attached to the lowerhousing member 102 along, for example, the rear edges (not shown) of theupper and lower housings 101, 102. The grill 100 features a generallylinear grill housing top edge 106. The universal condiment rack 110 isattached to the grill housing top edge 106 with universal mountingbrackets 120.

Reference is now made to now to FIG. 2, which illustrates a perspectiveview of a circular grill 200 with an embodiment of a universal condimentrack 110. The grill 200 comprises an upper housing member 201 and alower housing member 202, which also serves as a grill cover. The lowerhousing member 202 generally contains a heat source (not shown) disposedbeneath a cooking grate or structure (not shown). The upper grillhousing 201 may be pivotally attached to the lower housing member 202.The grill 200 features an arcuate grill housing top edge 206. Theuniversal condiment rack 110 is attached to the arcuate grill housingtop edge 206 with universal mounting brackets 120. As shown in bothFIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of the universal condiment rack 110 has agenerally arcuate profile configured to engage a linear grill housing102 in an arc/chord manner or for receiving an arcuate grill housing 202in a complementary manner. The universal condiment rack 110 accommodatesthe differences in the grill housings of FIGS. 1 and 2 by utilizinguniversal mounting brackets 120, which pivot at each end of a generallyarc shaped condiment rack 110. The pivoting function of the universalmounting brackets 120 permits the brackets to receive grill housings atvarying angles relative to the condiment rack 110, corresponding,respectively, to linear and arcuate front edges 106 and 206.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a partial side-elevationalcross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 2. The universalcondiment rack 110 of FIG. 3 is illustrated as attached to a cookinggrill 200 having an arcuate grill housing top edge 206. The universalmounting bracket 120 of this embodiment is, for example, fabricated byforming a short piece of flat metal into a relatively J-shaped profile,wherein the J-shaped profile has a base 122, a short leg 126 and a longleg 124. The gap between the long leg 124 and the short leg 126 forms anopening 136 for receiving a grill housing top edge 106, 206 when theuniversal mounting bracket 120 is in an inverted-J position. The shortleg 126 includes a hole 128 for receiving a threaded fastener 130. Thethreaded fastener 130 is tightened to securely attach the universalcondiment rack 110 to the cooking grill 200. The long leg 124 of theuniversal mounting bracket 120 includes a distal end 125. Adjustablyattached near the distal end 125, is a protrusion 132 for engaging theoutside surface 104 of the grill housing. The protrusion 132 isadjustable to provide a leveling mechanism or means for the universalcondiment rack 110, such that the rack 110 may be installed on a varietyof grill shapes and sizes. For example, a rack mounted to a slightlytapered grill housing will require a shorter protrusion adjustment thana rack mounted to a grill housing having a more pronounced verticaltaper.

A rack support 150 is pivotally attached to the universal mountingbracket 120 and fixably attached to components which define thecondiment supporting surface 160. The rack support 150 and condimentsupporting surface 160 of this embodiment are formed longitudinal wirecomponents, but one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatboth or either of these components could be fabricated using alternativematerials and methods. For example, either or both of the rack support150 and the condiment supporting surface 160 could be fabricated from aplanar material, such as sheet metal. In another alternative embodiment,the rack support 150 and the condiment supporting surface 160 could beintegrated into a single component fabricated from a planar materialsuch as, for example, sheet metal, heat-resistant plastics, etc. Thecondiment supporting surface 160 is further configured to receive hooks180 for hanging grill related tools or accessories.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which is a partial perspective view ofa detail of an embodiment of a universal mounting bracket 120 andsupport 150. The universal mounting bracket 120 features a deformation134 in the long leg 124 defining a passage for pivotally receiving therack support 150. This embodiment features a rack support 150 at eachend of the universal condiment rack 110, but one of ordinary skill inthe art will appreciate that more than two rack supports may be usedwithin the spirit and scope of this disclosure. The rack support 150 isattached to, for example, a plurality of parallel longitudinal members160, which are planarly arranged to support condiments. By way ofexample, the longitudinal members 160 defining the rack of thisembodiment are metal rods formed into a generally arcuate shape. One ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that an alternative embodimentcould feature a single planar member or a plurality of longitudinalmembers of other geometries. The universal rack mount 120, pivotsthrough a range 170 to accommodate grill housing top edge configurationsof many shapes and dimensions.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of thepresent disclosure, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, aremerely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for aclear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variationsand modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) ofthe disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit andprinciples of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations areintended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure andthe present disclosure and protected by the following claims.

1. An apparatus for providing a universal condiment rack on a cookinggrill of any shape, comprising: a plurality of substantially parallellongitudinal members, configured to define a rack for supportingcondiments, for attaching to a grill; at least one support attached tothe plurality of longitudinal members; and at least one universalmounting bracket, pivotally attached to said at least one support, formounting the rack to said grill, wherein the at least one universalmounting bracket pivots for attaching to said grill.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one universal mounting bracket comprisesan opening configured to engage a top edge of a grill housing.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one universal mountingbracket comprises flat metal, formed to be generally J-shaped comprisinga base, a long leg, and a short leg.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein the at least one universal mounting bracket further comprises: afastener configured to engage a first surface of a cooking grillhousing; and a hole in the short leg, configured to threadably receivethe fastener.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least oneuniversal mounting bracket further comprises a passage formed in a firstsurface of the long leg, for pivotally receiving one of the plurality ofsupports in an orientation parallel to the long leg.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one universal mounting bracket furthercomprises a length-adjustable protrusion secured to a second surface ofthe leg, for contacting a second surface of the cooking grill housing,wherein the protrusion is adjustable to permit leveling the rack whenattached in a plurality of different grill housing configurations.
 7. Amethod of attaching a universal condiment rack to a grill housing,comprising: pivoting a condiment rack mounting bracket to correspondwith a top edge of a grill housing; engaging an opening in the condimentrack mounting bracket with the top edge of the grill housing; securingthe condiment rack mounting bracket to the grill housing with afastener, wherein the fastener engages the condiment rack mountingbracket; and adjusting the condiment rack mounting bracket with aleveling protrusion, wherein the adjusting permits a substantiallyhorizontal rack position independent of the grill shape.
 8. A system forproviding a universal condiment rack for a grill, comprising: a pivotingmeans for adjusting a mounting device; a supporting means for attachinga rack to the mounting device; and a fastening means for securing themounting device to a grill.
 9. The system of claim 8, further comprisinga leveling means for adjusting the rack to a substantially horizontalorientation.
 10. A grill, comprising: a cooking grill housing; a racksurface for supporting condiments; at least one support, attached to therack surface; and at least one pivotally-adjustable mount, for attachingthe support to the cooking grill housing.
 11. The grill of claim 10,wherein the mount comprises a fastening device engaged with the cookinggrill housing.
 12. The grill of claim 10, wherein the mount comprises arack leveling device engaged with the cooking grill housing.